Rebecca

When Rebecca moved with her daughter from Arizona to Pennsylvania a few years ago, she was prepared for certain changes — a cooler climate and higher cost of living being some of them. What she didn’t anticipate was a sharp economic downturn that would eliminate her job and all but wipe out her entire profession.

A corporate travel agent for 25 years, Rebecca knew no other line of work. Suddenly she found herself in her 50s in a different part of the country with no viable prospects for work.

“I sent out dozens of resumés for all kinds of travel-related jobs but I heard nothing. Travel was being cut everywhere. Nobody was hiring,” she said.

It was during a New Choices/New Options class at Delaware County Community College that Rebecca came to learn about Wings for Success. Intrigued, she contacted Wings and was given an appointment to come in for a wardrobe consultation. During her appointment, she was outfitted with new career clothing as well as new shoes and jewelry. Her consultant helped her discover which colors worked best for her. The experience was a significant boost to Rebecca’s confidence.

During this same time, Rebecca was exploring a new career path as a Pharmacy Technician. She began looking into pharmacy schools but all were expensive, especially for someone receiving unemployment. Eventually, she applied for jobs at pharmacies that paid for training. One was Walgreens. “I never expected to hear anything,” she said. “But about 6 weeks later, they called me in for an interview.”

Ironically, her interview coincided with a Wings-sponsored makeover at Pulse Beauty Academy. Rebecca’s makeover was scheduled for 11 AM; her interview, for 1 PM. “I left the beauty academy and headed straight for the interview,” she recalled. “I was in my new career outfit from Wings. My hair and makeup were done…and I actually had somewhere to go!”

Rebecca was offered the job at Walgreens and has been working there since October. The company is paying for her training and for her pharmacy certification exam, which she plans to take in June.

“Make sure your attire is sending the right message. Shift your thought pattern on dressing from a fashionista-type of approach to one tied to competency, communication, respect and appropriate boundary-setting.”

Professional presence and image are cornerstones to career advancement and financial success. Studies show that 55% of other people’s perception of you is based on visual appearance, 38% on tone of voice, and 7% based on the words